Two questions for fellow Bostonians: biking and shopping (Cambridge, Newton: condo, school)

[zoo_x]

Hello guys!

Thank you for all the friendly help before, my wife and I finally moved here and bought a condo in Brighton/Brookline area, everything is smooth and awesome so far.

I bought a bike last week because riding bicycle to school (BU) is faster versus taking the T (and it's free!) However I havent ride a bike in 10 years... riding on the road with cars passing me makes me a bit nervous still.... do some of you feel the same way?---do you prefer to ride the main road which "bike share the road" or do you prefer to ride on the wide walkways? Also can I ride bike during winter time?

For the shopping--besides Galleria and the Pru, where else is good shopping center? with or without parking

Thanks!

[Urban Peasant]

Boston is so full of traffic that I ride my bike on the sidewalks most of the time even if it is a bumpier ride. Wait until you are more used to riding before attempting the street and since you are just starting to ride again, I advise you not to attempt to ride when it is snowy or icy. It is hard enough walking when it is snowy or icy in Boston.

There are two additional malls over the Charles River called the Arsenal Mall (yes it used to be a US arsenal) and the Watertown Mall respectively. There is parking and bus service (routes #70 and #70A from Central Square Cambridge).

There are two more smaller and more upscale malls in the Chestnut Hill area of Brookline/Newton called the Chestnut Hill Mall and the Atrium respectively.

All other major malls are around the 128 corridor such as the Burlington Mall in Burlington and the South Shore Mall in Braintree. They are typical suburban malls with huge parking lots and limited bus routes.

[shiver]

Your post reminded me of an article that I read recently in the Boston Globe: Boston’s unruly riders - The Boston Globe

Regarding malls - if you have a car, there's also the Natick Collection in Natick. It's quite large and the usual array of mall stores and a number of anchor stores - everything from the upscale Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom to the more typical Macy's, JCPenney and Sears.

As a side note, the Kevin James movie Mall Cop was filmed primarily at the Burlington Mall.

[xS☺B☺s]

I think you're taking your life in your hands biking in Boston traffic. Coming from Brighton however, if you make your way to the Charles River there is a lovely path that will take you right down to BU.

Two hints for bicyclists: Watch out for people opening their car doors and don't expect the guy stopped at the red light you are approached to look behind him before he takes a right on red and side swipes you.

Actually two other things: Boston pedestrians get regularly run over by bicyclists and Boston is a great place to find out first hand how far a two ton vehicles can launch a 150 lb bicyclist.

[lrfox]

Newbury Street, Faneuil Hall, and Downtown Crossing offer a good deal of urban shopping without the suburban mall atmosphere. I'm sure if you've been to prudential, you've crossed over the skybridge to Copley Place which has some more upscale stores.

Baby steps with the bike. I moved to Boston in May and have been looking at maps and slowly plotting routes to avoid dangerous roads. It takes a while to get comfortable, so maybe practice riding somewhere close by first.